For the first time since the company’s inception, All Elite Wrestling’s roster has begun to slowly shrink. AEW originals like Marko Stunt and Joey Janela ventured back to the independent circuit once their contracts expired earlier this year, and reported unrest from the likes of Malakai Black and Andrade El Idolo left both men’s futures uncertain. While the former is expected back on television any week now, the latter might have just bid farewell to AEW altogether.
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Taking to his Instagram, Andrade shared several pictures of himself in his AEW entrance attire along with a cryptic caption.
“I just want to say thank you!!! Bye,” Andrade wrote. “Solo quiero darles las gracias!! Bye.”
This adds fuel to the fire that Andrade could be on his way out of AEW. The former NXT Champion has made his frustrations with her current booking clear in recent months and put himself under fire when he got into a backstage altercation with Sammy Guevara in October. The two exchanged heated words on social media, which ended with a supposed warning that Andrade would see Guevara that week at AEW Dynamite. Despite AEW management alerting them that they would be sent home if they fought, both men got physical ahead of the television taping. Andrade was told to pack his bags while Guevara remained and worked the main event that night.
Andrade has not been seen on AEW programming since the backstage fight, as he is currently suspended from the company. He was originally scheduled to put his AEW career on the line against Preston Vance’s mask on an episode of AEW Rampage, but that match was scrapped due to his suspension. The 33-year-old star was recently pulled from an RGR Lucha Libre show as well, being replaced by AEW’s Rey Fenix.
“Greetings to all my friends in Los Angeles! I would have loved to meet you all this Sunday, but I had an issue to attend,” Andrade said. “I will be giving more details about it at a later date. If it had been up to me, I would have loved to be there with you all. I hope to see you all again in Los Angeles and I apologize.”
It’s worth noting that this video took place from a hospital bed, which could indicate that Andrade is potentially injured.
AEW President Tony Khan addressed Andrade and fellow missing AEW star Miro’s absences at the AEW Full Gear press conference, noting that people take breaks from the promotion all the time.
“You’ve seen people take some sabbaticals, absences, breaks from AEW for various reasons and come back and get very involved,” Khan said. “And I think that’s still, for both of those guys, something that you could see.”
